The present invention relates generally to floor surface treatment apparatus for treating a floor surface, and more particularly to a dolly for use in transporting and servicing such a floor surface treatment apparatus.
Floor surface treatment apparatuses such as floor polishers, floor scrubbers, liquid extraction machines, floor sanding machines and the like are used for treating various floor surfaces such as tile, wood, marble, carpeting and other common floor surfaces. Conventional floor surface treatment apparatus typically comprise a wheeled vehicle having a chassis, a drive motor, a floor surface treating unit driven by the drive motor in contiguity with the floor surface to treat the floor surface, and a handle for maneuvering the apparatus relative to the floor surface. The apparatus may include one or more wheels supporting the chassis for ease of movement of the apparatus relative to the floor surface, and these wheels may even be motor driven so that the apparatus is self-propelled over the floor surface.
When a conventional floor surface treatment apparatus is transported over long distances or over rough surfaces such as pavement, there is a risk that the wheels, wheel drive motor and/or the floor surface treating unit could be excessively worn or otherwise damaged. Thus, it is desirable to raise the wheels and the floor surface treating unit up off of the floor during transport. To this end, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,737 discloses a transport device for wheelless power driven equipment in which the transport device is a detachable wheeled dolly having a pair of wheels that support the apparatus during transport. To transport the power driven equipment on such a transport device, the operator must grasp the handle of the equipment and tilt the equipment backward onto the dolly. Due to the heaviness of the equipment, transporting the equipment on such a two-wheeled transport device is relatively unstable, requiring the operator to exert force on the handle to counterbalance the weight of the equipment while also pushing or pulling the equipment in the desired direction of transport. Moreover, when servicing the equipment, a second operator or additional apparatus must exert the necessary force on the handle to maintain the equipment in the tilted back position to provide access to the underside of the equipment.
Among the several objects and features of the present invention may be noted the provision of a dolly for use in transporting a floor surface treatment apparatus over a floor surface; the provision of such a dolly which is carried onboard the apparatus when it is not deployed; the provision of such a dolly which stably supports the floor surface treatment apparatus during servicing and transport of the apparatus; the provision of such a dolly which supports the floor surface treatment apparatus in a tilted-back orientation during servicing and transport; and the provision of such a dolly which is easy to use.
In general, a dolly of the present invention for use in transporting a floor surface treatment apparatus over a floor surface comprises a carriage adapted for pivotal connection with the floor surface treatment apparatus to permit selective pivoting movement of the carriage relative to said apparatus about a pivot axis of the dolly between a support position in which the dolly supports the floor surface treatment-apparatus with said apparatus raised off the floor surface and a non-support position in which the floor surface treatment apparatus is unsupported by the dolly. The carriage has at least three wheels mounted thereon for conjoint pivoting movement with the carriage about the pivot axis of the dolly. The at least three wheels are arranged relative to each other on the carriage such that in the support position of the dolly the at least three wheels engage the floor surface to stably support the floor surface treatment apparatus with the apparatus raised off of the floor surface.
In another aspect of the invention, a floor surface treatment apparatus generally comprises a wheeled vehicle having wheels supporting the vehicle and a floor surface treating unit in contiguity with the floor surface when the wheels of said vehicle are riding on the floor surface. A dolly is pivotally connected to the vehicle and is selectively positionable relative thereto about a pivot axis of the dolly between a support position in which the dolly supports the floor surface treatment apparatus with the floor surface treating unit raised off the floor surface and a non-support position in which the floor surface treatment apparatus is unsupported by the dolly. The dolly has at least three wheels mounted thereon for conjoint pivoting movement with the dolly about the pivot axis of the dolly. The at least three wheels are arranged relative to each other on the dolly such that in the support position of the dolly the at least three wheels engage the floor surface to stably support the floor surface treatment apparatus with the floor surface treating unit raised off of the floor surface.
In another embodiment, apparatus for treating the surface of a floor generally comprises a wheeled vehicle having wheels supporting the vehicle and a floor surface treating unit in contiguity with the floor surface when the wheels of said vehicle are riding on the floor surface. The apparatus further comprises a dolly for transporting the apparatus from place to place with the floor surface treating unit substantially raised off the floor surface over which the dolly is transported. The dolly is pivotally connected to the vehicle for movement between a raised, retracted position of stowage on the vehicle and a lowered position supporting the vehicle with the floor surface treating unit raised off the floor surface.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.